ç >> sreenivasan: allen's tenure began just a day after taliban insurgents claimed another high- profile assassination. a close aide to afghan president hamid karzai was killed sunday in a gunbattle at his home in kabul. it followed the murder of karzai's half-brother last week. for more on afghanistan we turn to pam constable, who covers south asia for the "washington post." pam, thanks for being with us. the series of high profile assassinations have picca off important targets as well. one of the former governors of a province. why is it significant? >> well, particularly in light of the fact that it came so quickly after the assassination of the half brother of president karzai who was killed in kandahar just days before this, the killing of this former governor in another southern province along with another guy who was also close to the president, this is cumulatively speaking, it's a big blow for the karzai administration. you know, it'sçç confidant, relatives, high-level aides going back into april some of them are being killed. but more than who is doing it or who it's happe